Mountaineer Country
VisitMountaineerCountry.com; @VisitMountaineerCountry
Part of the seven-county area known collectively as Mountaineer Country, Morgantown is a perfect blend of urban and rural, according to Tami Wood, sales director for the Visit Mountaineer Country CVB. “Downtown Morgantown is eclectic, with a variety of restaurants and shops to explore,” she says. “While downtown has an urban city atmosphere, you’re just minutes away from wide-open outdoor spaces, such as Coopers Rock State Forest and the West Virginia Botanic Garden. It truly is the best of both worlds, especially for event planners who may want to offer a unique experience that can’t be found in larger cities.”
The 207-room Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place has 73,449 square feet of function space with 18 breakout rooms and a capacity of 2,500 guests. Historic Hotel Morgan, a Wyndham Hotel has 83 guest rooms and more than 5,000 square feet of function space, including a two-story grand ballroom. Both downtown hotels are just a few minutes’ walk to West Virginia University (WVU), which offers a variety of event spaces, including the Museum Education Center; its grand hall can accommodate 150 people for dinners or 300 for receptions.
Approximately 10 minutes from downtown, the 187-room Lakeview Golf Resort & Spa spans 500 acres overlooking Cheat Lake. It has 24,000 square feet of event space, including a ballroom seating 1,000 people banquet style or 1,400 theater style. Resort amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center, a full-service spa, two restaurants, and two championship golf courses. Also at Cheat Lake, The Cranberry, A Choice Ascend Hotel is an 80-room boutique property with retreat, meeting, or event space for up to 120 guests.
Additional facilities include Loft Conference Centers, with locations in Morgantown and Southpointe, each with multiple event rooms. The Southpointe location is adjacent to AC Hotel Pittsburgh/Southpointe, which has meeting space for 330 guests, while the Morgantown location is adjacent to the 115-room Hampton Inn & Suites Morgantown/University Town Centre, with 3,522 square feet of function space. Other event spaces include the 1,500-seat, riverfront Ruby Amphitheater and 50,000 square feet of flexible, multipurpose event space at Mylan Park.
According to Wood, Morgantown’s identity is tightly woven with the energy and traditions of WVU. “You can catch a Mountaineer sporting event or a theater show at the Creative Arts Center,” she says. “Morgantown also has a lively arts scene. You can see a show at the Metropolitan Theatre or browse local galleries at the Monongalia Arts Center. Morgantown also has a lot of outdoor recreation.”
Mountain Gravel is a curated collection of 40 mixed-surface biking routes, ranging from 5 to 75 miles. Geocaching is also popular, and the city will be home to a new Geotour, launching this summer. At nearby Coopers Rock State Park, each of the 12 newly opened stargazing cabins includes a telescope to view the stars visible in the certified dark sky.
